Handmade Horns, Handmade Bracing.

I have the option to buy valve bracing from Meinlschmidt when I buy the valves. I have considered it in the past to make my life easier and speed things up. After this last batch of braces though, it's become clear that the extra time that I spend making them is worth it, they look awesome! Mine are on the left and the stock ones from Meinlschmidt are on the right. First, the braces between the outer slides on the valve section:

Bracing on the 1st and 3rd valve slides:

As you can see, the braces that I make are lighter, cleaner and more ornamental looking than the stock braces I could buy. I am also able to change the styling as I (or the player) choose. It gives my horns a unique and flexible aesthetic that I love!